Why rekey your locks when you move into a new DC home

Nobody knows how many keys are out there

When you buy a house in the District, the seller hands over a few keys at closing. What they cannot hand over is a list of everyone who ever had a copy: past tenants, contractors, dog walkers, neighbors who watered plants, the cleaner from three years ago. Rentals are worse, because a single unit might have had a dozen tenants since its locks were last changed.

Rekeying changes the pin arrangement inside the lock cylinder so it works with a new key and no longer works with any old one. The handle, deadbolt and finish stay the same. It is usually the least expensive way to start fresh.

Rekeying versus replacing

Rekeying makes sense when the hardware is in good condition and you like how it looks and works. Replacement makes sense when a lock is worn, sticks, has a cheap cylinder, or you want to upgrade to a higher-grade deadbolt or a smart lock. In older DC rowhouses, mortise locks are often worth keeping and rekeying, because replacing them can mean modifying the door.

A technician can usually tell you within a few minutes of looking at the lock which option fits. The price list shows where rekeying starts, and the coupons page includes a rekey offer.

The doors people forget

The front door gets attention. The others get missed, and any one of them can undo the whole effort. Walk the property before you call and count every keyed lock.

• Back and kitchen doors
• English basement entrances under the stoop
• Storm doors and iron security doors
• Detached garage service doors and alley gates
• Interior doors between a main house and a rental unit
• Window bars or gates with key releases

Condos and apartments have limits

If you move into a condo or rental, your unit door is usually yours to rekey, though some leases require landlord approval and a copy of the new key. Lobby doors, garage gates, mailboxes and fobs are controlled by the building. Ask management to deactivate the previous resident's fobs and confirm who has keys to the mailbox.

In a co-op, the board may require a specific lock brand or a key on file. Ask before booking so the work only needs to happen once.

Rental owners: rekey between every tenant

For landlords, rekeying between tenants is the single most effective security step, and in many cases a lease or insurance policy expects it. A former tenant who kept a copy, or gave one to a friend, can walk into a unit long after moving out. If you own several units, consider a master key system so you carry one key while each tenant's key opens only their own door. Keep a short record of which cylinders were rekeyed and when, so the next turnover is just as quick.

What a rekey visit looks like

The technician removes each cylinder, replaces the pins to match a new key, tests every lock with the new keys, and reinstalls the hardware. You will be asked how many keys you want cut. Before the visit, gather every old key you can find so they can be checked against the locks; it helps identify which doors share a key today. Count your locks before you call so the estimate covers everything.

Do it before the boxes are unpacked

Moving week is chaotic, and rekeying is easy to postpone once the truck has gone. Book it for the first day or two, when movers, painters and handymen have finished coming and going with temporary keys. Hand out the new keys only to people who need them, and write down who has one.

Make it one key

While the locks are open, ask about keying them all alike. A rowhouse with a storm door, front door, back door and basement door can often run on a single key, which is easier to live with and easier to replace if you lose it. Call 202-753-3885 with a count of your locks and you will get an estimate before anyone arrives. For more on home work, see residential locksmith service.